Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-04
J. :. EDDY'S SUICIDE.
Further Particulars of the Tragic Act
at GeneseO--NO Heal Cause Assigned
for self Destruction.

for Self Destruction.
The Geneseo Republic If yesterday.
contains the following particulars of the
suicide of J. S. Eddy, mentioned in last
evenings ARGUS;
]. 5. Eddy, landlord of the City hotel.
is dead. His body was discovered by
some telegraph linemen who were coming
ID the city on hand car al about
O'Clock last Wednesday evening. Il was
lying beside the track in a path near the
east end of the stock yards On discover
ing that the man was dead they at once
brought the news to the city. and Coroner
Macarthur, on being informed of the case
Immediately went out with 4 posse of
men and brought him in. He was lying
face downward, his arms under him. and
a revolver in his right hand. There was
bullet wound in his head, showing that
he had been shot IN the mouth. the ball
coming out at the top of his skull little
back of the ear. The coroner began an
inquest yesterday morning and his court
was still in session when we went to press.
From the evidence taken up to the tine
we went to press, there was nothing devel
oped to show cause why he should have
shot himself, except that he was suffering
from temporary mental alteration. He
had been a resident of this vicinity for
about twelve years. When he first came
here he went into cheese making. Later
he kept hotel i'll COlona, where he was
quite prosperous, according to reports
roln ha m Ipla
where he was also in the hotel business.
1t seems that his business there was not
a paying one. In August last he came
here and took charge of the City Hotel,
which has been well patronized under his
management. As far as known he was
not financially embarrassed to an extent
that ought to have caused him uneasi-
ness, his total Indebtedness probably not
exceeding $500. His grief-stricken wife
says she can think of no cause for the act
other than he was being pressed for some
small amounts that were due. She says
his home life has always been pleasant,
and her statement is substantially cOrrob-
GRATED by those acquainted with the fam
lily. Those who have been acquainted
with him for some years. however, have
noticed since he came here q marked
change in his demeanor, one that may
have grown upon him so gradually that
his family had not perceived it. He
used to be jovial and lively in his inter
course with friends and acquaintance,
but of late he seemed to be suffering
from a settled melancholy. to be apa>
thetic, and while not unsOcial, rather
declined to talk and joke, as was
his wont. As near as we can learn, he
was last seen alive about 4:30 o'clock
Wednesday afternoon, when Mr.. William
Dilenbeck met and talked with MIN. Mr.
Dilenbeck noticed nothing unusual
in his demeanor, but it is probable
that it was not more than twenty minutes
after the two men parted till lie killed
himself. Mr.. Eddy was aged about As
years. He carried life insurance aggre-
eating about s. 900 as near as can now
be estimated He had 1000 in the K.
of H.. the local branch of which he had be-
longed to since 1879 Last year be took
policy for IS, 900 in the Modern Wood
men at Rock Island. and he is understood
to have about So 900 in Bloomington
company. He leaves wife and two chill
dren. The funeral is announced to take
place at . p. m. to-day, at the hotel. A
brother of the deceased. who lives in
Rock Island, was visiting here when the
deed was committed, and was one OF the
party who went out after the body. He
went home to break the news to sister
who is in poor health and expected to re-
turn to attend the funeral Prof. Fl. E.
Dawes, brother of Mrs. Eddy, who is at
Pontiac was sent for and is expected to
arrive this morning. Mrs Eddy is entitled
to great sympathy in this sore trial which
came upon her so Unexpectedly.
The jury, after hearing all the evid snce
returned verdict to the effect that the de-
ceased came to his death by his own hand.
from cause unknown to the jury. A mes
sage from Geneseo says the general belief
there is that financial and family matters
led to the act